About Randolph Township

APPROVED MEETING MINUTES AND MEETING AGENDAS ARE POSTED ON THE “INFORMATION CENTER” AT 104 W. MAIN ST, HEYWORTH.

All Regular Monthly Meetings will be held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month starting at 7:00 PM unless otherwise rescheduled, postponed or continued.

Notification of the date and time for all additional, rescheduled, or special meetings will be posted and published, as required by law.

Voting Precincts: 3 (all at the Heyworth Christian Church – Old Rte 51 North)

CREEKS: Burlison, Short Point, Little Kickapoo, Mud Creek, and Heyworth Lake at Centenniel Park.

CEMETERIES: Heyworth Cemetery, Randolph Township Memorial (Passwater), Shiloh, Stewart, Spaid-Bishop, Miller-Rutledge

HISTORY: 

Randolph Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 4,375 and it contained 1,636 housing units.

Randolph Township was named for Gardner Randolph, who settled in the area in January 1822, near a thick grove of trees later referred to as Randolph’s Grove. The village of Heyworth is part of the township.

Randolph Township was formed in 1858 and sent its first supervisor to Bloomington, the county seat, on May 17, 1858. It is Township 22 North, Range 2 East and part of Township 21 North, Range 2 East of the Third Principal Meridian. It has part of the north tier of sections in Township 2, which were taken by McLean County between 1844 and 1849, instead of giving them back to DeWitt County, when it was formed. It is 6×8 instead of 6×6. It is bounded by Downs Township on the east; Bloomington Township on the north; Funk’s Grove Township on the west; and Wapella Township, in DeWitt County, on the south.

According to the 2010 census, the township has a total area of 49.62 square miles (128.5 km2), of which 49.48 square miles (128.2 km2) (or 99.72%) is land and 0.14 square miles (0.36 km2) (or 0.28%) is water.

CLICK HERE for a 1924 history of Randolph Township, taken from the book “History of McLean County” by Jacob L. Hasbrouck.

Historic Randolph Township Maps

The following historic atlases (public domain) were provided by Bill Kemp and George Perkins at the McLean County Museum of History.  They depict parcel divisions, property ownership, and other interesting historical landmarks (churches, cemeteries, schools, etc).

1856 Atlas

1866 Atlas

1874 Atlas

1895 Atlas

1914 Atlas

Randolph Township Cemetery Surveyor Maps

(provided by Lewis, Yockey, & Brown)

Randolph Township Cemetery (Northwest Lot)

Randolph Township Cemetery (Southwest Lot)

Randolph Township Cemetery (proposed North addition)

Stewart Cemetery

Shiloh Cemetery

Miller Cemetery

Township Parks & Heyworth History

Parks

We are proud to provide numerous recreational areas for  our citizens.  Park rules and regulations are posted at each site.  For more information or to reserve a pavilion for a special event, please contact the Village Hall at (309) 473-2811.

Centennial Park

Located just west of town off of U.S. 136.  This park includes three baseball diamonds, two pavilions, a fire ring and other grills, a lake with bank fishing only (no boats), a walking trail, slides and other playground equipment, and an open area for soccer and other activities.

Merle Shannon Park

Located behind Village Hall and the Library.  This park includes basketball courts, swings, pavilion, grill, and playground equipment for small children.

Hillside Park

Located in Hillside subdivision.  This park includes a grill and playground equipment for small children.

Cobble Creek Park

Located in Cobble Creek subdivision. This park includes swings and playground equipment for small children.

Weltman Park

Located in Wyndhaven subdivision.  This park includes a pavilion, grill, basketball court, slides, and other playground equipment.

Sunset Acres Park

Located across from the high school and U.S. 136. This park includes a basketball court and two tennis courts.

Heyworth History

In the Beginning

*In the beginning, the locality now known as Heyworth was covered by a heavy growth of timber and underbrush which was inhabited by the Kickapoo Indians, and was the abode of great numbers of deer, wild turkeys, and packs of large gray wolves.  Away to the east and south stretched the broad prairies with their swamp-lands heavily covered with prairie grass and traversed by multitudes of prairie chickens and wolves.  This area was known as Randolph’ s Grove.

It was to this region that many worthy settlers came.  There were the Rutledges, Funks, Passwaters, Bishops, Nobles, Karrs, Wakefields, and Martins some of them coming as early as 1824.  All of these families settled in the immediate vicinity of the present Village of Heyworth.

Campbell Wakefield

Campbell Wakefield was essentially the founder of Heyworth. In the course of his achievements, Campbell Wakefield became the owner of a vast tract of land of which Heyworth now occupies a portion.  He entered some of the land and bought some, and continued adding to his original tract until he obtained about fifteen hundred acres in one plot.

Illinois Central Railroad

As the population increased and industries began to spring up, it was seen that railroads were needed and could be used to great advantage. In 1852 and 1853, the Illinois Central Railroad was constructed through the Wakefield land.  When the cars began running in 1855, the question immediately arose as to the location of a train station in the vicinity, for it was known that one would be at some place in Randolph’ s Grove, but it was not easy to find out just where. Many people wanted the station to be built on their property. Wakefield immediately donated a large tract of land for the foundation of a town, for the Presbyterian Church, a district school, and also for a station, side tracks, etc.  The controversy was settled.

Naming of Heyworth

Previous to the construction of the railroad, there was no post office located here.  In those days the mail was carried by stage coaches. Around the year 1856, when the new station was named, the first post office was established. In 1856 the new station was named “Elmwood,” but finding that this name was already taken be someone in Peoria County, the President of the Illinois Central Railroad proposed to call the new station “Heyworth,” the name of an English director of the railroad.

After the establishment of the station, Campbell Wakefield made several donations to encourage trade and induce business men to locate in the new town.  He became the proprietor of the new town.  The Village of Heyworth was incorporated on March 31, 1869.

Growth Today

And while railroads brought growth during the 19th century, today growth is driven by recession resistant business expansion occurring primarily in Bloomington–Normal, located just a few minutes away.

*Taken from “A History of Heyworth,” published by the Heyworth Star in 1926 and written by Charles A. Marker.

Upcoming Events

  • June 19, 2024
    Regular Monthly Meeting
  • July 17, 2024
    Regular Monthly Meeting
  • August 21, 2024
    Regular Monthly Meeting
  • September 18, 2024
    Regular Monthly Meeting
  • October 16, 2024
    Regular Monthly Meeting
  • November 20, 2024
    Regular Monthly Meeting
  • December 18, 2024
    Regular Monthly Meeting
  • January 15, 2025
    Regular Monthly Meeting